This Invention relates to Fishing Floats, specifically to Slip Bobbers with a built in hook setting device.
Currently there are many different configurations of fishing floats available to consumers. Floats come in all sizes, shapes and colors. Some floats have lights for night fishing. Most Fishing floats currently available are manufactured from materials such as cork, Styrofoam, polystyrene, plastic, metal and combinations of these materials. There has been several attempts at designing a fishing float with a reliable hook setting mechanism. There has also been many different designs of slip bobbers registered. I could not locate any attempts at combining these two features.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,565 makes a valid attempt at providing a hook setting mechanism. Unfortunately, their design appears to have a few shortcomings. For example, one of the problems with their design is the fact that the triggering mechanism is in the bottom of the float and due to the nature of it""s intended use it would eventually come in contact with the bottom of a body of water and become soiled with mud, sand, algae, weeds or any number of other contaminants. Also the complex process involved in reactivating the hook setting mechanism seems to be a problem. I also question the repeatability of the sensitivity adjustment. Due to the fact that it consists of two parts rubbing against each other.
Another limitation of there design is that the length of the line that can be lowered under the float is limited to the length of line that the Fisherman can lift out of the water, with the float reeled up to the tip of their fishing pole. This is due to the fishing line being locked into a Driver element (25, 26). Which is attached at the top of the float.
In accordance with the present invention a Slip Bobber with Hook Setting Device comprises, a mechanism capable of providing an automatic jerk on a fishing line, attached to a buoyant float which is capable of suspending the entire assembly on top of a body of water.
Objects and Advantages Several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
(a) To provide a Slip Bobber with hook setting device that can be used in any depth of water. This is due to the fact that the fishing line can slide through the entire assembly until a small enlargement placed on the fishing line comes to rest on top of the hook setting device.
(b) To provide a Slip Bobber with hook setting device that is very simple to operate.
(c) To provide a Slip Bobber with hook setting device that has a minimum number of moving parts.
(d) To provide a Slip Bobber with hook setting device that is sensitive enough to be activated by the lightest biting fish. This feature will reduce mortality of fish that are caught and released. This is because the Fish will likely be hooked before they have an opportunity to ingest the hook deep into their throats where they could receive life threatening injuries to their gills or digestive tract.
(e) To provide a Slip Bobber with hook setting device that has an adjustable sensitivity. This will allow the Fisherman to use different sizes of lures and allow the Fisherman to adjust sensitivity to compensate for possible wave action or casting of the float.
(f) To provide a Slip Bobber with hook setting device that has enough travel to give an effective hook set.
(g) To provide a Slip Bobber with hook setting device that will alert the fisherman when it is released.
(h) To provide a Slip Bobber with hook setting device that is easy to manufacture.